


Tree House

by iCheeseYou



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Boys In Love, Boys' Love, Childhood Friends, Feels, Fluff, M/M, Muke - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Top!Luke, bottom!Michael, tree house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-22
Updated: 2014-10-22
Packaged: 2018-02-22 03:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2493302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iCheeseYou/pseuds/iCheeseYou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael and Luke have been best friends for many years and their secret meeting place is the tree house in the middle of the woods, because it was where they first met each other.</p>
<p>© 2014 iCheeseYou</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tree House

**Author's Note:**

> AN: There will be a lot of time skips, but I will say the ages or how many years passed, so you know how old they are.
> 
> Please note that all my one shots will be based on the American system, mostly where I'm from. Enjoy your read!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxIr3dbOJxU [PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS SONG WHEN YOU CAN!]

I was five years old when I moved to a whole new town that was nothing like the city I used to live in. My mommy got a job as a teacher at the high school nearby, so we had to move.

The town had a lot of trees and the house that I moved into had a huge forest behind it. I decided one day that it was a good day to explore the woods, because I wanted to know what was in there. My mommy told me to be very careful and that I shouldn't go too far out and to also be back before lunch time.

With every step I took deep into the woods I felt like I was on an adventure, like I was about to go explore the world and fight off enemies and stuff. I was hoping that I'd find some kind of enemy to fight off and then save the world from evil.

Instead of finding someone to fight, I found this house built in a tree. There was a ladder that led up to it and the place got me curious and interested in it, so I walked closer to the place.

I went up the ladder and peered inside the place, seeing that there was a black couch sitting by the wall, a mattress, and a table that had a flashlight and lamp plus a bunch of snacks on it. A dim light bulb hung on the ceiling, illuminating the entire place. Did someone else use this tree house?

My question was answered when I saw another boy with blond hair sitting in the corner, a sketchbook in one hand and a pencil in the other.

"Hi there!" I exclaimed, earning the boy's attention. He jumped a bit, most likely surprised by my sudden greeting. "Can I come inside?"

"Hey," replied the boy. "Yeah, you can. I don't mind at all." I nodded and then I went over to him, sitting beside him. I looked down at the sketchbook in his hand and saw that he was drawing a penguin, and I thought it was a really pretty penguin.

"I like your penguin," I commented. "It's a nice penguin."

"Thank you," he mumbled.

"Do you like to draw?"

"Very much." I nodded and we sat there in silence before I spoke up again.

"I'm Michael," I said, sticking my hand out for him to shake. "What's your name?"

He stopped drawing and stared down at my hand before he shook it.

"Luke," he answered. I pulled my hand out of his and turned myself around, so that way I was facing him.

"Well, Luke, you're now my new best friend." Luke's eyes widened and he looked surprised.

"F-Friend?" he repeated.

"No, not friend. Best friend! Bestest friend!"

"But we just met."

"So? It doesn't mean we can't be bestest friends." I grabbed his sketchbook and pencil, setting it down as I stood up and extended my hand out to him. "Want to join me for lunch? I'm gonna have pizza and I want to introduce you to my mommy."

"O-Okay." Luke's fingers laced with mine and the two of us started heading out of the tree house. I climbed out of the tree house first and Luke followed. Once the both of us were on the ground we walked back to my place hand in hand.

"Is that your tree house?" I asked Luke and he nodded his head.

"My grandpa built it for me before he left," he told me and my lips made a circle shape.

"Where did he go to?"

"He went to join my grandma."

"Where is your grandma?"

"In Heaven."

"Oh." I felt bad for asking that, because I didn't think that his grandparents were... no longer alive. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's fine. I know they're in a better place." His hand tightened around mine and we were silent for a moment.

"How did you get all that stuff up there? They look so heavy and large."

"My dad took them up there. It was to make it seem more home-like to me."

"It does seem like a home. Do you go there often?"

"I'm always in there. I spend all my time there and barely go anywhere else."

"So if I were to go back tomorrow around the same time, I'd see you again?" Luke stopped walking and I stepped in front of him, my eyes looking into his very pretty blue ones.

"Y-You'd come back?" he asked.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I? You are my bestest friend after all." For the first time I saw him smile, small dimples appearing on his cheeks.

"Okay. I'll be looking forward to it then." And the rest of the way to my house we were in comfortable silence, our hands locked together.

\------

The next day I was more than excited to see Luke again at the tree house. Unfortunately I was a few hours late, because my mommy made me do some chores around the house. Once I finished I bolted out of the place and ran straight for the tree house.

By the time I climbed up the ladder I looked inside and saw Luke sitting on the mattress, facing the wall. His legs were crossed and he was looking down.

I went over to him and sat behind him, looking over his shoulder. I saw that he was drawing something. It was a sad face with tears coming from the eyes. Then I saw something drop onto the paper followed by soft sobbing.

Then I realized that Luke was crying, and it broke my heart to hear and see him crying. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek against his back. Luke gasped and he turned his head around to look at me.

"Michael?" he said, followed by sniffling. "You're here..."

"Why are you crying, Lukey?" I asked, my arms tightening around him. "Did something bad happen?"

He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "It's nothing now."

"Can you tell me why you were crying?"

He started to move around, so I pulled away from him. Then he faced me and he pulled me towards him, his arms embracing me as his chin rested on my shoulder.

"B-Because I was afraid you wouldn't come back," he answered. "But you're here now, so everything's better now."

It felt like my heart was just touched. Luke was crying, because he thought I wasn't going to come back to him. I hugged him back, nuzzling my face into his shoulder.

"Of course, I came back," I told him in a soft voice. "I'll always come back to you. I'm never going to leave you. I promise."

We were sitting together in each other's arms until Luke's sobbing subsided. Then he showed me some of the drawings he made. It ranged from animals to people to scenery and I thought they were all beautiful. I really like his drawings. He should become a famous artist one day.

The both of us were now sitting on the couch side by side and I watched Luke draw a picture of me and him.

"Hey, Michael," Luke spoke up and I looked up at his face. "Is it okay if we meet here every day? Let's make this our special meeting spot, just for the both of us."

A huge smile came onto my face and I nodded, throwing my arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug.

"Okay!" I exclaimed and a light laugh left him. I stayed in that position as I watched Luke draw some more.

I liked the idea of the tree house being our meeting spot and only ours.

\------

Today was the first day at my new school since moving here. Luke's mommy Liz offered to drive me to school, since my mommy had to go to work early. So my mommy came up with an idea that on school nights I'd stay with Luke, so that way it'd be easier for Liz to take me and Luke to school.

"Are you boys ready?" Liz asked and I quickly nodded my head.

"I'm ready! I'm really excited, too!" I beamed up at her and she chuckled.

"Well, I do hope you have a wonderful first day at school." She turned to Luke. "Will you keep Michael company?"

"Yes, mommy," Luke answered obediently, but he didn't seem happy about school as much as I was.

Liz clapped her hands together and grabbed her keys off the kitchen counter. "Okay, boys, let's go!" She announced as the three of us marched out the door and towards her car.

By the time we got to school Luke and I waved goodbye to his mommy and she drove off. When I turned around I saw that Luke was already heading towards the school, so I ran after him.

"Wait for me, Lukey!" I shouted as I finally was beside him.

"Michael, I think it's best if you don't hang around me at school," he mumbled and I raised my eyebrow at him.

"How come? You're my bestest friend. I want to hang out with you."

"Because if you do, then you won't have a good day at school."

"I don't understand, but I'm going to stay by your side, no matter what." Luke sighed, shaking his head and let me stay by him.

The previous day I went to the school with my mommy to see what class I was going to be put in and I was lucky enough to be in the same class as Luke. So I followed him to the classroom and saw that no one was there except for a teacher.

"Hello, Luke," greeted the teacher and he mumbled a hello before he went to a desk at the back of the classroom. "Oh, and you must be Michael Clifford. I'm Mrs. Irwin."

"Hi, Mrs. Irwin!" I chirped. "Can I sit next to Luke? He's my best friend!"

"Well, that can most certainly be arranged, since there is an empty desk there. Go ahead." I thanked her and scurried over to Luke, placing my TMNT backpack on top of my desk and turning my chair around, so I could look at Luke.

"We get to sit with each other in class!" I said to him. "I like school already."

"Michael, you should stay away from me at school," he whispered to me.

I frowned at him. "Why? I want to be with you."

"I told you already. Bad things will happen for you."

"I don't care. Best friends stick with each other no matter what. Tell me to go away all you want, I'm never leaving you. I promise."

"Please, Mikey. This is for the best." I could feel the tears form in my eyes, because Luke was telling me to go away. I moved my chair back, so that I was facing the front of the classroom. I pushed my backpack onto the floor, folded my arms on top of the desk, and buried my face into them.

How come Luke doesn't want me to be with him? I thought he and I were bestest friends. Does he not like me?

When I heard more kids enter the classroom I didn't look up, because I didn't want anyone to see me crying. However, crying over something isn't the way to go, so I quickly wiped my tears away with my shirt and tried to look happy. I shouldn't let Luke ruin my day, so I should put a smile on my face and enjoy my school day. If he doesn't want to hang out with me, then it's his loss. I can enjoy my first day of school without him.

\------

Break time came and all the kids were playing on the playground. I was swinging by myself on the swings until a boy with brown hair came up to me along with another kid whose hair was darker.

"Hi. You're new, right?" asked the boy with lighter brown hair. "I'm Ashton and this is Calum."

"Hi," I said as I waved at them. "Yeah, it's my first day. I'm Michael."

"Do you want to play hide-and-seek with us?" questioned Calum. "I am gonna be 'it.'" I nodded and then I got off the swing and followed the two. "Okay, I'm going to count to ten by the wall over there, because I can't count any higher than that."

"Calum, I told you!" Ashton shouted, laughing. "After ten, it's twelve!"

"But your mommy said it was something that began with an L!"

"After ten is eleven," I told the two and they both looked at me, their mouths wide open.

"Wow, Michael! You're smart!" Calum complimented and I chuckled.

"I just know my numbers. You can count to ten still." Calum agreed and then he went over to the wall. When he started counting Ashton and I ran off, going into different directions.

I ran close to the school building and I was about to go around the corner when I saw three bigger boys crowding around someone else I couldn't see.

"You're so quiet and stupid!" yelled one of the bullies.

"You should just disappear!" barked another one.

"Nobody likes you!" shouted the third one. As they were moving around I caught sight of who they were yelling at and my eyes widened when I saw that the three bullies were bullying Luke.

"Hey!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Don't bully my best friend!" The three boys turned around, glaring at me.

"What did you say to us?" said one of them.

"I said leave Lukey alone! Nobody should be bullied and Lukey most certainly does not deserve to be bullied by a bunch of big, fat meanies like you three!" They looked as if they were getting angrier and they started making their way over to me. I looked around and saw a bunch of small rocks. I picked a lot of them up and started chucking at the three bullies and they shielded themselves with their arms, crying out in pain whenever I hit them.

"Ow! Stop!" cried one of them.

"My head!" exclaimed another.

"Mommy!" screeched the last one. Then the three fat meanies ran off and I dropped all the rocks that I was holding and didn't throw at them.

"And never bother my best friend again!" I shouted at them, huffing at the last part. I glanced over at Luke and saw that his back was against the wall and he had his knees pulled to his chest, his face buried into them. I started to approach him, a hand stretched out towards him. "Lukey?"

"Why did you do that?" he asked. "They could've hurt you."

"I don't care. They were being very mean to you and you're my best friend." Suddenly a thought hit me. "Was this the reason why you told me not to hang out with you? Because you didn't want kids like them to pick on me?"

Luke nodded and he looked up at me, tears in his eyes. "Yeah. You were so excited for school, I didn't want it to be ruined by them. If you stayed by me, then you wouldn't have a good first day."

"Aw, Lukey." I sat down beside him and pulled him into my arms. "I could defend myself, you know. I'm a big boy and I can always stick up for myself, even you."

He sniffled and rested his head on my shoulder. "You're not mad at me for trying to push you away?"

"I was sad at first, but now I'm okay. It'll take a lot more than that to get rid of me, Lukey. " I giggled and felt his arms go around me.

"Found you!" I heard someone explain. I looked up and saw Calum with Ashton behind him. "Oh, did I interpret something? I'm sorry."

"It's interrupt, Calum," Ashton corrected, laughing at Calum's misuse of vocabulary.

"Lukey and I need a moment alone," I told my two other friends. Ashton nodded and dragged Calum away.

"You're not going to leave me, Mikey?" Luke mumbled. "Ever?"

"Never," I told him, tightening my arms around him. "I'm never going to leave you. I promise."

Ever since my first day of school Luke and I have hung out together every single day, even Ashton and Calum became Luke's friends and the four of us were the best friends of the school, but Luke and I were the bestest of the bestest friends. The three guys who bullied Luke apologized to him and told me that they had a lot of respect for me for defending someone I cared about, despite I threw rocks at them. I forgave them and so did Luke and they never bothered him again.

Of course, I would defend my Lukey. He's my bestest friend after all. Why wouldn't I defend him?

\------

"Your drawing has definitely improved a lot over the years, Luke," I commented as I sat beside him on the couch, holding a bag of potato chips in my hand as I grabbed a bunch and stuffed them into my mouth. We were now twelve years old and we were spending our last day of summer break together in our tree house before we started middle school tomorrow.

"Well, I have been drawing every day," he said to me, tapping my nose with the eraser part of the pencil. "Anyway, I'm almost done with the drawing. Do you want to see the progress I've made so far?"

"Okay." He put the pencil on his ear and gave the sketchbook to me. I looked at it and saw that he was drawing a penguin, but it looked more realistic this time.

"This is amazing!" I exclaimed. "It almost looks like it's a photograph! Did you draw this from memory?"

"No, I had to use a photo I found online for reference." Luke picked up his phone that was hidden from my view and he showed it to me. "See?"

"They look identical!" I compared the actual picture with his drawing and I was amazed by how much the two looked alike.

"Glad you think so, because I'm not exactly proud of it."

"You should be." I plopped his stuff back onto his lap and stood up, walking back to the snack table. I rolled up the bag, placed it down, and went back over to Luke as I wiped my hands against my jeans. "I can barely draw stick figures, let alone realistic drawings."

Luke shrugged and pulled a knee up to his chest. "Well, you just aren't artistic like I am." I rolled my eyes and playfully pushed him backwards until his back was pressed against the backrest of the couch. I seated myself on the couch and threw my legs over Luke's lap.

"Whatever. I'm skilled in different things, like eating pizza," I told him, even though I knew that eating a lot of slices wasn't something to be very proud of. Luke pushed my legs off of him and I pouted.

"Not on my sketchbook," he said. He closed the sketchbook and tossed it onto the mattress. When he did I switched sides so that way my head was resting in his lap.

"I don't want to go back to school tomorrow," I complained. "I'd rather spend every day being with you here in our secret meeting place."

"I don't want to either," he sighed, playing with my hair, "but at least we'll see each other at school, right?"

"We'll still hang out, right? We may not have the same schedules, but we will most certainly hang out during break, right? You and me."

Luke cracked a smile, his fingers brushing my bangs from my forehead. "Yeah, just the two of us."

"Oh!" I shot up and turned in my seat, my legs crossed. "Don't forget Calum and Ashton! They are our best friends, too!"

"Right. Can't forget them."

"But even though they're my best friends, you will always be my bestest friend." I got up from the couch again and went over to the snack table. "I want more chips. Do you want anything?"

"No, thanks, Mikey," Luke said. "I'm just going to finish up my penguin drawing." I nodded and picked up the bag of chips, throwing them at Luke and hitting him in the face. "Hey!"

"My bad," I apologized, laughing at the unamused pout he had on his face. He grabbed his sketchbook and pencil, opening up to his penguin drawing. I sat beside him, leaning my head against the shoulder as I watched him make the penguin look fluffier, like the one in the photograph.

"Try not to get your chip crumbs all over the drawing," Luke said to me. "I don't want to get it dirty."

"I'm not a messy eater!" I gasped, feigning offense.

"Look, Mikey! A piece of chip!" He pointed at a spot on the paper and I squinted my eyes, leaning towards where he was pointing.

"I don't see anything," I told him. Then I felt his hand on the back of my head as he pushed me down, pressing my face against the drawing. "Lukey!" He started laughing and I pulled myself away from the sketchbook and chucked some potato chips at him.

"You fell for it!" Luke started laughing harder and I rubbed my nose, wrinkling it a bit.

"My nose hurts now," I complained. Luke immediately stopped laughing and the smile on his face fell.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mikey." He brought a hand up to my nose and started caressing it gently. "Better?"

"Yeah, because rubbing my nose like that is gonna make it better." He laughed a little at my sarcasm and he continued his drawing.

\------

"Summer!" I exclaimed when the final bell rang and all the students in the classroom cheered. Everyone sprinted out of the room as the teacher wished us all a happy summer break.

Today was my very last day at middle school and in the end of August I'd be going to high school, the one that my mom worked at. It was the only high school around the area, so Luke, Calum, and Ashton were going to go there as well.

While I was sprinting down the hallway to get out of the school building I saw Luke walking and I ran over to him, jumping on his back.

"Hey, Lukey!" I shouted and he let out this short scream before his arms went under me to keep me up.

"Don't do that, Mikey!" he scolded. "I thought I was going to die!"

"You won't die. I'm not that heavy, come on!"

"You're still pretty heavy for a fourteen year old."

"Luke! Michael!" I looked around the crowd of students until I saw Ashton and Calum walking over to us. "We're finally done with middle school!"

"Hooray!" Calum cheered. "We'll be freshmen in the fall, joining the big kids as the small shrimp once again."

"Do you and Luke want to hang out with us?" Ashton asked, but I shook my head.

"Sorry, but Lukey and I have other plans."

"We do?" Luke asked and I nodded. Then I brought my face to his ear and whispered.

"Our tree house, remember?" I had to whisper it, because Ashton and Calum didn't know about it. It was my and Luke's secret.

Luke made a quiet sound of understanding, nodding. He glanced at our two friends.

"Yeah, sorry guys," he apologized, shrugging. "Maybe another time." I squirmed around, trying to tell Luke to let me down and he did.

"Sorry, guys. See ya!" I grabbed Luke's hand and led him out of the school without waiting another word from Ashton and Calum. Then the two of us ran all the way to our secret place.

\------

"Mikey, let's go order some pizza," Luke suggested and I grinned.

"Great idea!" I pulled out my phone and dialed the pizza place and ordered a box of pepperoni pizza. After that I watched Luke walk over to where he kept his sketchbook.

Once our pizza arrived I started eating a slice of pizza and Luke was still drawing. He was lying on one side of the couch while I was on the other. Our legs were tangled with one another and I'd occasionally rest my leg on top of his and he'd stack his other leg on mine and we'd just continue doing this until one of us gave up.

"Lukey, are you gonna eat?" I asked and he shook his head.

"One moment, I'm still drawing," he said to me. He glanced down at his phone, then at his sketchbook, adding a few more strokes to his drawing. "Okay, done! Wanna see, Mikey?"

"What'd you draw this time?" I leaned forward and he handed me his sketchbook. I studied the picture and nodded. "You drew the beach. It could've been better."

"Really?" I could hear the disappointment in his tone and I laughed.

"It's perfect! Your drawings never fail to fascinate me, Lukey." I closed the sketchbook with one hand and tossed it back over to him.

"Careful!" he exclaimed, putting his sketchbook back onto the mattress. I passed him the pizza box that was sitting on the floor and I leaned back against the armrest.

"Summer time," I sighed as he took out a pizza slice and placed the pizza box onto the floor. "Finally, we get to spend hours in the tree house again."

"Yeah." Luke's foot nudged my leg and I looked over at him. "Open your mouth. I'mma try to get this pepperoni into your mouth."

"No, I go first." I peeled one pepperoni off and glanced at him, seeing him open his mouth wide. I threw it over at him and he managed to catch it with his teeth, eating the rest of it.

"I did it!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Okay, now your turn!" I widened my mouth, waiting for the pepperoni piece. Suddenly Luke crawled over to me and plopped himself on top of me.

"Luke!" I squealed when he waved his pizza slice close to my face I tried to push him off, but he used his pizza and smacked me in the face with it, some sauce getting on my cheek.

"You missed, Mikey!" Luke laughed. "One more try!" Again, he hit me with the pizza, despite my protests.

"Stop! Oh, my God!" I pushed him off and wiped the sauce off my face. I rubbed my hands against his legs, getting the sauce onto them and he frowned.

"Not cool."

"Hey, you started it." I tossed my unfinished slice onto the box and Luke did the same. I wiped my hands once again on his jeans and he pulled away, so I couldn't get any more on his clothes.

"Payback," he announced, crawling back over to me. He wiped his hands on my shirt and I started laughing, because it was tickling me.

"Oh, my God, Luke! Stop!" I squirmed underneath him, but then he started prodding my sides with his fingers. "Luke!"

"What?" he asked innocently before he stopped and fell on top of me. "I'm tired. Let's go sleep."

"You can sleep on the bed." I rolled him off of me and he fell onto the floor with a loud thud.

He groaned before he sat up and looked at me. "Sleep with me?"

"Yeah, whatever." He beamed and then went over to the mattress. I followed him and he lay himself down, spreading his arms out at me. I lay down beside him and he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to him.

"Good night, Mikey," Luke mumbled, resting his chin on top of my head and I buried my face into his chest.

"Good night, Lukey," I said back and we both fell asleep.

\------

A month had passed and I was currently in my and Luke's tree house at six in the morning, sitting on the mattress and letting tears fall from my eyes. I've been thinking all night about something and I wasn't able to sleep, so I went to the tree house and sat there for the rest of the night.

I shouldn't be crying, especially since it's Luke's birthday and he was turning fourteen today, but what had me up all night really scared me. I had to tell Luke, because I'd feel horrible if I didn't, but I'm scared about what the results may be.

"Mikey?" I heard Luke's voice. "You're earlier than expected. Usually I'm first to be at the tree house."

"L-Lukey," I mumbled and I looked over at him. When his eyes landed on me they widened.

"Oh, God. Mikey, were you crying?" He rushed over to me, sitting next to me and pulling me into his arms. I hid my face behind my hands and let more tears fall. "What happened? Did someone hurt you? Why are you crying?"

"N-No one hurt me, but..."

"But what?"

"Can you promise me something, please?"

"Of course. Anything for you. What is it?"

"You promise to be my bestest friend forever?"

"Mikey, that's a promise I can most certainly keep." His hand went to my hair, running through it soothingly. "Now why were you crying?"

"Luke, I'm..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. A lump formed in my throat and I ended up crying some more. I pushed my face into his chest and he made a sibilant sound, his fingers moving through my hair.

"You can tell me after you calm down, Mikey. Okay?" I rubbed my cheek against him, nodding.

"Okay."

We sat there in that position for about thirty minutes, the only sounds heard were my soft crying and Luke constantly telling me that everything was okay.

"I think I'm ready now," I spoke up.

"All right," Luke responded.

"I'm... I think I... like boys." His fingers stopped running through my hair and I tensed and shut my eyes tightly, some tears slipping. I clenched my hands over his shirt. "Please don't hate me, Lukey. Don't leave me, please."

"Mikey..." Luke pulled away and used his index finger to lift my chin up so he could look at my face. "You really think I'm going to leave you, because you like guys?"

"You don't find that disgusting?" I asked and he shook his head.

"Not at all. You can like whatever gender you want. I'm never going to leave you. I promise."

Relief washed over me as I let more tears run and a smile grew on my face. I threw my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you. You're the bestest friend ever." His arms embraced me and his head was on top of mine.

"Yeah," Luke mumbled. "I am. So did you tell anyone else?"

"I wanted to tell you first, because you're the first person I always go to. I'll tell Calum and Ashton and maybe my mom later." I could feel him nodding.

"I'm glad I'm the first to know. It makes me feel special."

"You are special to me. You're my bestest friend ever."

"Same goes for you."

"Oh, and Luke?" Luke drew away slightly, his arms still around me and I did the same. "Happy birthday."

He smiled and laughed a bit. "Thank you. So where's my present?" I rolled my eyes and was about to stand up, but he pulled me back down. "No, no. You can get it later. Just tell me what it is."

"It'd be better if you found out for yourself."

"Come on, tell me."

"No, Luke. Find out for yourself." He poked my side and I giggled, moving away. "No! I won't tell you!"

"Tell me, Mikey, or I won't stop," he said, his fingers jabbing into me some more and making me give in.

"It's a new sketchbook!" I heard Luke gasp after he had stopped attacking my sides.

"A new sketchbook? Okay, I want it now. Let's go get it! Where is it?" I laughed at his reaction and the both of us stood up.

"It's back in my room," I told him. "Let's go get it. And we'll go out and meet up with Calum and Ashton to celebrate your birthday. How's that sound?"

He smiled at me. "As long as I'm with you, anything is perfect."

\------

We were starting high school in two days, so Luke and I have been spending lots of time together before school came back into session. We had gotten our class schedules a week prior to school starting and we compared the list, seeing we had no classes together. I didn't even have any with Calum or Ashton either. So that means I will be all alone in my classes, which sucks a lot.

Right now Luke and I were sitting in our tree house on opposite sides of the couch. I was munching on some cookies while Luke was doodling in his sketchbook. Not the one I gave him, because he said he wanted to finish his old one first before starting on the new one.

"Mikey, I have a present for you," Luke said. I glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow.

"A present?" I repeated. "My birthday's still some months away."

"I know, but just accept this anyway." He reached into his pocket and I watched as he pulled out a blue leather bracelet.

"Holy- Oh, my God," I took the bracelet from him and examined it. On it read our names, 'Michael and Luke.' "This is so cool!"

"I know. I walked by this one store and asked the owner if he could get two bracelets with our names on it."

"Two?"

"Yeah." He extended his left arm out at me and I looked at his wrist, seeing a green leather bracelet that read the same thing as the one on mine.

"How come yours is green and mine's blue?" I asked.

"Because it's the color of our eyes. I got you the one for my color and I got the one for your color." I couldn't help but be in awe. I scooted closer to him and he plucked the bracelet from my hand and motioned for me to give him my wrist. I did and he helped put the bracelet on. When he finished I pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you, Lukey," I told him. "I'll wear it every day."

"And I'll do the very same," he replied, "because what we have is something very special to me." I felt something soft press against my cheek, knowing it was his lips and then he wrapped his arms around me. I felt my heart beat quicken when he kissed my cheek, but I waved it off like it was nothing.

We're just bestest friends. It's normal for bestest friends to kiss on the cheek, right?

"Nothing will ever break our friendship." I came to the conclusion that a peck on the cheek was okay, so I kissed his cheek and pulled away.

"Okay, I think my mom's ordering pizza," Luke announced. "Want to join me?"

I beamed, nodding my head. "I'm always up for pizza."

\------

Ashton, Calum, Luke, and I were sitting at a booth in Starbucks, drinking our coffee the next day. Calum and Ashton sat on one side while Luke and I sat on the other. We had one more day until school started, so we decided to spend our last day of summer break together. Suddenly Calum's eyes looked over at me and he spoke up.

"Can I talk to you, Mikey?" he asked me and I raised my eyebrow. I glanced at Luke, seeing he was staring out the window. Then my eyes went over at Ashton and he just shrugged. I then turned my attention back to Calum and nodded at him. I slid out of my seat and Calum did the same, and then the both of us went to the back of the store.

"What do you need to talk about?" I asked him and he inhaled deeply.

"I've had a crush on you for a while," he began, "and I just... I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me? Just one date, maybe? If you like it, maybe we can be boyfriends, but if you don't, then we can still be friends."

"Oh," was all I said. I wasn't expecting one of my best friends to like me, especially Calum. He just seemed like the kind who'd flirt with a lot of girls, since that's what he pretty much did. I never knew he liked guys, let alone me.

"So what's your answer?" he asked. I bit my lower lip, thinking. I didn't have any romantic feelings for him that I knew of, but one date couldn't hurt, could it?

"Okay, one date," I told him, sticking my index finger up. He beamed at me and he embraced me.

"Thanks for giving me a chance, Mikey." I returned the hug.

"No problem."

"Oh, by the way, when I say date I mean just the two of us. You and me. No Ashton and most certainly no Luke. I know how extremely close you are."

I nodded at him. "I understand. So when's the date?"

"I'll be by your place at four tonight. We'll grab a movie and maybe talk a stroll in the park."

"Sounds great.

"I'll be looking forward to tonight." Calum winked at me and I felt my heart race a bit a that. Then the both of us went back to the table.

"Oh, shit!" Luke exclaimed, jumping out of his seat. "I forgot! I have to go buy some art supplies!"

The three of us blinked at Luke, but then I remembered that I had promised him that I'd go with him.

"Oh, yeah!" I shouted. I grabbed my drink and Luke got his. "I have to go with him. Sorry guys!" I glanced over at Calum and shot him a smile. "I'll see you later, Cal!" He grinned back and then Luke and I left Starbucks.

"See him tonight?" he repeated. "Why?"

"He and I are going somewhere," I explained.

"Really? Where?"

"Just to the movies and the park."

"Oh. Can Ashton and I come?"

"About that..." I stopped walking and Luke gave me a confused look. "It's just going to be the two of us. Just me and Calum."

"Oh, okay. I hope you two have fun hanging out." He smiled at me and we both continued on our way to the art store.

\------

"You're dressing pretty fancy," Luke commented while we were in my room. I rolled my eyes and turned to him.

"It's nowhere near fancy, Luke," I told him. "I'm just wearing skinny jeans, a T-shirt, and a flannel jacket."

"But your hair's all weird. You should make it messy. It's like you're going on a date or something." He stood up from where he was lying on my bed and went over to me, running his fingers through my hair.

"It's because I am going on a date." He froze and then pulled away.

"A date?" Luke asked." I thought you were going with Calum tonight?"

"Yeah, I am," I clarified. "It's with him."

"You mean... you're dating Calum?"

"It's just one date, Luke." I ruffled my hair and twisted around to look at myself in the mirror. "We're not boyfriends or anything."

"Wait, what if nothing goes well? Your friendship might get ruined."

"It's like hanging out, but just the two of us."

"Oh, okay." Luke sat back down on my bed. "Have fun on your date tonight. When's he coming to pick you up?"

I glanced at my digital clock. "In a few minutes."

"I see." I heard the sound of my doorbell and I knew right away that Calum had arrived.

"I'll be going now," I told Luke. "I'll see you at the tree house after my date?"

"Depends on what time you get back. I'll probably be asleep."

"I don't know. I'll text you and if you reply, then I'll know you're awake." Luke nodded and I started making my way to the door.

"Wait, Mikey!"

I turned around. "Yeah?" I said.

"Good luck on your date tonight." He cupped my face with his hands and pressed a kiss onto my cheek. "Be safe and use protection."

"God, Luke. We're not going to have sex. I'll see you later. Bye, Lukey!" Then with that I walked out of my house, seeing Calum by the sidewalk.

"Ready to go?" he asked, putting his elbow out for me and I linked my arm with his.

"Ready," I said. While we were walking I saw Luke looking at us through the window and I waved at him. However, he didn't wave back and that kind of hurt. I guess he was looking elsewhere.

\------

To sum up the night the date was amazing. Calum and I went to the movies, spent a while in the arcade, grabbed something to eat, and took an hour stroll through the park. I didn't realize the feelings I had for him until this date, so I agreed to be Calum's boyfriend. We never kissed on the lips, because we weren't ready for that yet, but he did give me a kiss on the cheek and I gladly returned it.

It was already midnight and I sent a text to Luke to see if he was awake. When he didn't reply I assumed he was asleep. It was late after all, so I shouldn't bother him anymore for the night.

However, I decided to go to the tree house one last time before school tomorrow. I climbed up the ladder and I went over to the couch, but then I saw a body on the mattress.

"What the..." I muttered to myself, approaching the bed. Did someone else discover my and Luke's secret meeting place? Whoever it is, I'm kicking that person out.

But then I saw that it was Luke and he had his phone beside him, his hand laying on top of it.

"Luke?" I asked, placing my hand on his arm, but then I realized that it was cold and I immediately pulled away. "Oh, God! You're cold!"

"Hmm?" Luke hummed, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, a smile on his face when he saw me. "Mikey, you're here."

"How long have you been here? Your skin is ice cold."

"I don't know, since seven maybe?"

"Jesus, Luke, that's five hours ago!"

"Oh. Oops?"

I rolled my eyes as I took off my flannel jacket and handed it to him. "Warm yourself up. I'm bringing a blanket up here tomorrow, in case something like that happens again."

He slipped his arms through the jacket and looked at his phone. "Oh, you texted me."

"You fell asleep up here waiting for me?"

"I was afraid that if I slept at home, I would miss you."

"Lukey, I could've not shown up here at all."

"You're here, aren't you? And it's a risk I'm willing to take." He yawned as he leaned down on the bed, curling into my jacket.

"Are you warm enough?" I asked. "Do you want me to cuddle with you to make you warmer?"

I could see the smile on his face when I suggested it. "That'd be nice." I lay myself on the bed and he wrapped his arms around me. "You're really warm."

"No, you're just freezing."

"Right." I closed my eyes for a moment and let the comfortable silence sink in before Luke broke it. "How was your date with Calum, Mikey?"

"It was really amazing," I answered, smiling.

"So are you two, like, boyfriends now?"

Boyfriends. Hearing that put a smile to my face. I actually had a boyfriend and it was Calum, one of my best friends, who's my boyfriend.

"Yeah." My smile was wider now. "We're boyfriends now." Suddenly Luke pulled away, sitting up and I frowned when feeling the cold air hit me. "Lukey?" I sat upright as well.

"Your first boyfriend," he said, looking down at the floor before glancing over at me and smiling. "I'm really proud of you, Mikey. I hope you two will be very happy together."

"Thanks, Luke. You're the bestest friend ever." I hugged him once more before I stood up. "We should get back home. It's really late and we have school tomorrow."

"Yeah. Good night, Mikey." He gave my cheek a cold kiss since his lips were freezing and then he left the tree house. My fingers grazed over where he had kissed me. His lips must've been extremely cold, because the spot he had just pecked was burning my skin.

\------

The next day I went to school early since my mom is a teacher at the school. Calum met up with me at my assigned locker, appearing beside me and he kissed my cheek.

"Good morning, sunshine," he greeted and I smiled at him.

"Morning, Cal," I said. "Have you seen Ashton?"

"No, not yet. Have you seen Luke?"

"He's on his way. He texted me saying so." I waved my phone in front of him. "Let's go get something to eat." He nodded and then the two of us walked down the hall, his arm slinging over my shoulder. I took his hand in mine the rest of the cafeteria.

"I still can't believe you said yes to me," Calum spoke up once we got to the line, laying his head on my shoulder. "I thought you'd reject me."

"I didn't know how much I liked you until the date, so..." I kissed the back of his hand. "... thank you for the date."

"So should we tell the others? I think it's best."

"I already told Luke, so it leaves Ashton now." Calum nodded.

"You know, you're a lot closer to Luke, so I thought you'd have feelings for him instead of me."

"Come on, he and I have been bestest friends for nine years. He never showed any interest in me in those years."

"Well, he'd better not steal you away from me." I laughed at his small bit of jealousy.

"You've nothing to worry about, Cal."

"Hey, guys!" I heard Ashton say as he hopped in line with us. "Aww, you two a couple or somethin'?"

"Yeah, we are," Calum answered, nodding as blush formed on his face. Ashton's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"Hold up, what?! Since when?!"

"We've been dating since last night," I replied, my fingers playing with Calum's.

"Aww, I'm happy for you two! Does Luke know?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he knows." I glanced around the place and then I saw Luke walk into the cafeteria. "Hey, I'mma go over to Luke, okay?" I looked at Calum. "If I don't come back, get me a breakfast pizza."

"Got it, babe." He planted a kiss onto my cheek and then we departed and I skipped over to Luke.

"Luke!" I exclaimed, earning his attention. When he was entirely facing me I ran into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Someone's glad to see me," he chuckled, returning the hug. "How're you and Calum?"

"We're great so far. He's getting me breakfast right now. Want to grab a table?"

"Okay, but I have to sit next to you."

"Yeah, okay. Bestest friends before boyfriends." Then I grabbed his hand and we went to an empty table. I made sure to not lose sight of Calum and Ashton and I saw the two chatting with each other.

"Do you like Calum?" Luke asked me and I nodded. "How come you never told me about your crush on him?"

I shrugged. "I didn't know I liked him until the date. Last night was one of the best nights of my life."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I got a boyfriend and I'm really glad it was Calum." I leaned my head against Luke's shoulder, thinking about the events of last night. Luke started to scoot away and I pulled my head off of him, looking at him with a confused look.

"Since you're dating Cal, you should spend more time with him than with me."

I shook my head. "I'm still going to spend a lot of time with you. You're my bestest friend."

Then Calum and Ashton walked over to us and my boyfriend handed me my breakfast, which I gladly accepted. The four of us started talking, except Luke wasn't saying much. He sort of just sat there in silence and stared off into nothing.

\------

By the time lunch came around Calum and I had already gotten our food. Ashton came by shortly and I looked all over the place for Luke.

"What're you searching for?" Calum asked, leaning his head close to mine to see where I was looking.

"I'm looking for Luke," I answered, pouting when I didn't see him. "I don't know where he-" I cut myself off when I saw his blond hair in the crowd. He was holding his food in his hands and I jumped out of my seat without warning and ran over to him.

His eyes looked into mine and I could've sworn he took a step back, maybe because I got too close to him.

"Lukey! The others and I are over there," I announced, pointing over to the table where Ashton and Calum were. "Let's go!" I reached for his wrist, but he pulled away.

"Sorry, Mikey," Luke apologized. "I'm eating with others today." He looked over to a group of people and my eyes followed, seeing that it was a bunch of cool looking guys and girls, like they were popular or something.

"Come on, Luke!" one of the guys shouted.

I looked over at Luke with a hurt expression.

"You're not going to eat with me for them?" I asked him.

"It's just once, Mikey," he said. "I'll eat with you tomorrow, okay? Besides, you have Calum and Ashton. They can keep you company."

I hung my head, but nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

"That's my good Mikey." He ruffled my hair before he walked off, leaving me to stand in the middle of the room by myself.

He and I have always had lunch together. We never went to anyone else no matter what. Why is it now on our first day of high school that he chooses some other people over his bestest friend?

I sighed and trudged my way back to my lunch table, sitting down next to Calum.

"Luke's not coming?" Ashton asked and I shook my head.

"He'd rather eat with someone else," I muttered and Calum pulled me closer to him.

"It's okay," he whispered in my ear. "You still have us."

"That's true." But even though I have two of my best friends, they can never beat Luke.

\------

I went to my house immediately after the school bell rang, so I could grab a blanket and bring it to my and Luke's meeting place. I was hoping to catch Luke there, since he went to the tree house every day, except that one time when he had to travel to visit his cousins. Those were the worst two days I've ever experienced in my life.

Once I got a blanket I ran all the way to the tree house and was glad to see Luke on his way as well.

"Lukey!" I exclaimed and he turned around, stopping when he saw me.

"Mikey?" he asked, like he wasn't expecting me. "Aren't you going to spend the day with Calum?"

I caught up to him and bounced lightly on my toes. "I wanted to spend my day with you."

"But... I'm going to someone's house later. I just needed to get my sketchbook, that's all."

"Oh." Luke's leaving me for others again. "Sorry, I didn't know. I'll just head back home." I started to return to my house, but then he grabbed my wrist and tugged me back, his arms wrapping around my waist.

"But I'll cancel my plans for you," he said. "It's not a bother at all, I promise." I smiled up at him and nodded, embracing him.

"Thank you, Lukey," I said to him, my face pressed against his shoulder. "You're my bestest friend."

His hold around me loosened slightly, but then it tightened again. "Yeah, I know."

\------

Luke and I spent two hours on the couch and he had one leg laid on top of my lap while the other was bent and pulled towards him as he used it for his sketchbook, the one that I gave him for his birthday. I was so bored right now, but Luke was so into drawing whatever that he didn't say anything, so I decided to speak up.

"What are you drawing?" I asked as I tried to see, but he pulled the sketchbook away.

"It's a secret," he said to me and I frowned.

"But I'm your bestest friend. You're supposed to tell me secrets."

"Well, this one I can't tell you. Eventually I'll tell you. I promise, okay?" I really wanted to see what he was sketching this time, but I didn't want to be bothersome, so I agreed reluctantly. "That's my good Mikey." I huffed at him and then leaned back into the couch, resting my head against my arm.

"Can you give me an estimate of when you'll show me?" I asked him.

"I'd say... give me about two or three years," he answered and I nearly choked on air.

"Three years?! That's such a long way to go! I don't think I can wait that long!"

"Don't worry, Mikey. Time will go by like a breeze. Now stop pestering me about it, please."

I pouted and pushed his leg off of me, standing up and going to the mattress. "Lukey's a meanie," I muttered before I plopped front first onto the bed and pulled out my phone, wrapping myself in the blanket I brought up before I started searching through things on my phone.

"Call me a meanie all you want," Luke said. "I'm not showing it to you sooner than planned."

Suddenly my phone started ringing and I saw Calum's name pop up. I quickly pressed the green button and brought the device up to my ear. "Hey, Cal."

" _Hi, babe_ ," Calum greeted on the other end. " _I just wanted to call and see what you're up to_."

"Oh, I'm just chilling with Luke, but he's busy with his sketching. Why?"

" _Meet me by the park in a few? I just finished my homework and I want to see you_."

" _Sounds great. I'll be right over_."

"Awesome. See ya!"

"Later." I hung up the phone and pushed it into my pocket, removing the blanket from myself and getting up from the bed. I went over to Luke, but he noticed that I was approaching him, so he hid his drawing between his arms and chest. "I'm going to go meet up with Calum. Have fun with your drawing."

"Give me a hug before you go," Luke said, pushing his sketchbook aside and spreading his arms out at me, standing up. I walked closer to him and he pulled me into an embrace. "Have fun with your boyfriend."

"Okay." He drew away slightly and kissed my cheek before he lay himself back on the couch, picking up the sketchbook and drawing again.

I really want to know what he's drawing. I don't understand why he has to make me wait for so long just for one drawing.

Whatever. He and I have been bestest friends for nine years. Three years should go by within a blink of an eye.

\------

Calum and I were at the park, sitting on the swings idly and eating ice cream. He was eating mint chocolate chip while I was eating cookies and cream. It was my favorite and it was also Luke's. I remember, because one time when we were about seven years old we went to Baskin-Robbins to get ice cream, but we only had enough money to buy one cup and we both immediately exclaimed we wanted cookies and cream. Great minds think alike, I suppose.

"Even though we just started high school, I want to go back on vacation," Calum sighed, licking at his ice cream.

"Me, too," I said. "I get to spend a lot of time with Luke, you, and Ashton."

"Uh, Mikey?" I glanced over at him as I took another spoonful of ice cream and popped it into my mouth. "Since we're dating now, I think we should spend some more time together."

"But I always spend time with you."

"I meant just the two of us. No Ashton and no Luke." Calum motioned for me to walk over to him and I did. With one hand, he hooked his finger into the loop of my jeans and tugged me closer until I was in between his legs a little. "What do you think? I won't force you to, if you don't want to."

I was new to this dating thing and I wasn't entirely sure on what to do. However, Calum is more experience than I am, so I trusted that he knows what's best, so I agreed.

"Okay. I'll spend more time with you," I said to him, nodding.

"Just the two of us," he added. "More alone time together."

"We're alone now, aren't we?"

"Which is what makes our time together even better." He pushed his ice cream towards my face, some of it getting on my nose. I jumped back and screeched at how cold it was and I heard Calum cackling at me.

"You jerk!" I shouted at him, marching over to him, but then he held me in place my surrounding his arms around me and pulling me close to his chest. "You remove it!"

"With pleasure." Calum leaned his face close to mine, pressing his lips against my nose, making me blush and my heart race. He licked my nose once and when he pulled away I wiped the spot he licked with the back of my hand.

"Payback," I told him, smirking. He raised an eyebrow at me, but I didn't give him enough time to respond before I smashed my ice cream against his face.

"Jesus, Michael!" he shouted, pushing himself away from me and letting some of the ice cream drip from his face. "That's cold!" I giggled as I went over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and kissing his cheek, getting some ice cream off. I could see his face turn red and I grinned.

"There may be ice cream on your face, but cheeks are burning up. Therefore, you're warm." Calum pushed his ice cream covered face against mine, getting the dessert on me. "Hey! We were just even!"

"Maybe I don't want to be even." He stuck his tongue out at me and I wiped my face with the bottom of my shirt, not caring if it was going to get dirty. "I think we should go now. I'll see you tomorrow at school?"

"Yeah, you are." We kissed each other's cheeks before we went our separate ways. I didn't want to go back home yet, so I decided to go to the tree house and see if Luke was still there.

And when I got there, I was relieved to see that he was. He was still drawing in his sketchbook, but this time he had the blanket covering his entire body, so only his head and hands were visible.

"Hey, Lukey!" I exclaimed, running over and hopping beside him. I wasn't fast enough to see his drawing, darn it, but I did get his attention.

"You're back already?" he asked. "I thought you'd be out all night and not return until eleven or something like yesterday."

"Cal suggested we leave and I didn't want to go home. So here I am, right next to you." I moved closer to him until my arm was touching his. I leaned my head against his shoulder and yawned. "Do you want to cuddle with me?"

"I think you're asking the wrong person. You should be asking Calum."

"True, but I'd much rather cuddle with my bestest friend." Luke was silent for a moment before he started shifting around. He tossed the blanket at me and I drew away from him, watching as he pressed his back to the armrest and extended his legs out. I threw the blanket over myself, so it was covering my back and I crawled on top of Luke, lying right on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and I pushed my hands under him.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked, his hand rubbing soothingly against my back and I pushed my face into the crook of his neck.

"Very comfy," I told him with a smile.

"Go sleep, Mikey." With one hand still on my back, his other hand went to my hair, running his fingers through it. I sighed contently at the comforting feeling as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, the last words I heard Luke say were, "Good night, my Mikey. Sweet dreams."

\------

My eyes fluttered open and I tried to move around, only to find that arms were securely wrapped around my waist. Then I remembered that I had fallen asleep with Luke and he was still holding me. I lifted myself up and looked at his sleeping face, seeing his mouth slightly parted and hearing quiet snores leave him.

He looked so cute and peaceful when he's sleeping and I didn't want to bother him. However, it was really dark out and I didn't know what time it was. My mom was probably wondering where I was right now and I still needed to get my class expectations signed by her.

"Lukey?" I whispered, earning no response from him. "Wake up, Lukey. We need to get home."

"Five more minutes, mommy," he mumbled, rolling over and making me go with him. Now I was smushed in between his body and the couch, but his arms never left me.

"Please, Lukey?" I poked his cheek with my finger and he still snored. "Wake up for me?" Still nothing from him. I sighed and tried to leave on my own, but his unconscious state must've sensed that I was leaving, because then his hold on me tightened and he whined.

"No, Mikey," he groaned. "Don't leave me, please."

I exhaled before I snuggled back into him, pressing my lips to his cheek to give him a gentle kiss.

"I'm never leaving you, Lukey," I said against his cheek. "I promise."

\------

I managed to get my mom to sign the expectations the next morning. I was now at school and glaring at a table that was not too far away from the table that I, Calum, and Ashton were sitting at. Why was I glaring at another table?

Because Luke decided to sit with the people he ate lunch with yesterday again.

"So what if Luke has other friends?" Calum asked. "It's not like he can't hang out with other people."

"Yeah, but I'm his bestest friend," I huffed out.

"Sounds like somebody's jealous," Ashton sang in an annoying tune. I couldn't argue with him there. I was jealous that Luke had already found friends and chose them over me.

"Whatever. I'll just hang out with him after school."

"You're gonna go to Luke again?" Calum questioned. "I thought you were going to spend more time with me?"

"I am, but just not today. I'm sorry." I wrapped my arms around his waist and he placed his arm around my shoulder.

"I understand. Friends before boyfriends." He kissed my temple and then he started eating his breakfast. I laid my head against his shoulder, my eyes still sending daggers in the direction of the people who took Luke away from me.

Luke's my bestest friend. He can't be anyone else's, because he's mine.

\------

After school was over I went home, because I had to finish up my homework before I decided to go to my and Luke's meeting place. Once all of my homework assignments were completed I went to the tree house and started going up the ladder. I saw Luke already there and I was about to greet him, but then I stopped myself when I saw that he wasn't alone.

There was someone else with him and that someone else was a girl.

She was really pretty and the two were sitting on the couch together, their thighs and shoulders touching. They were looking down at something and I recognized it as Luke's sketchbook.

He's willing to show her the sketch that he's drawing, but not to me? I have to wait three years while she gets to see what he's doing now?

I was jealous and quite upset when Luke decided to hang out with other people during lunch, but it broke my heart to see that he brought someone else to our secret meeting place that was meant for only me and him. Not only did he let someone else into our tree house, he let the random girl look at his drawings.

Was I not special enough? Whatever reason he had to bring her here and show her the sketchbook rather than to me, it felt like someone just stabbed me in the chest.

Without announcing my presence, I slowly went down the ladder and dragged my feet all the way home. I guess I've been spending so much time with Luke that the thought of him hanging out with someone else other than me never crossed my mind.

I should give Luke some space. I've been rather clingy to him and I'm only his bestest friend. He has the right to have as many friends as possible, but for some reason I only wanted him for myself.

All I could think about was, Luke is mine.

I went to my room and threw myself onto the bed, burying my face into my pillow. While I was moving around I felt something slip out of my pocket and I pulled it out, seeing that it was my phone. I decided that I should get my mind off of Luke and I know just what to do.

" _Mikey_?" I heard Calum's voice say through the phone. " _Why are you calling me_?"

"Can you come over to my place, Cal?" I asked him. "You were right. I should spend more time with you. You are my boyfriend, not Luke. So I want to spend the rest of the day with you."

\------

He brought over some pizza and then he and I sat in my room and played some FIFA. I kept beating him and he would always pout whenever he lost.

"I win again, Hood!" I exclaimed, laughing when I saw the pout on his face.

"Not for long, Clifford," he said in a challenging tone. "How about this: if I win, you have to kiss me right on the lips."

My eyes widened at that suggestion. "A first kiss is something special, Calum. I want my first kiss to be perfect."

He leaned his face close to my ear and whispered in a low voice, "Then I'll make sure it's perfect."

He never got the kiss, because I would always beat him, but I did give him kisses on the cheek for trying.

"Okay, I give up," he growled, setting the controller down and plopping himself onto my bed. "I'm going to take a nap." I sat beside him and then his arms snaked around me and he pushed his face into my side. "Good night."

The room fell silent and I just remained there for a while before I was suddenly being pushed down on the bed and Calum went over me.

"Calum!" I exclaimed, shocked that he had the audacity to just shove me down on the bed.

"I couldn't resist," he said with a smirk. He leaned down and planted a kiss dangerously close to my lips and I tensed up.

"Don't take my first kiss yet," I said. "I want it to be special, remember?"

"I remember very well, Mikey. I'm just teasing you."

"Well, stop teasing me."

"I'm sorry." He lay himself beside me, throwing his leg over my body and wrapping his arms around my waist. "I'm still so glad that you're mine."

I hummed in response, but when he said that my mind drifted to Luke and how he was spending his time now with other people.

Luke is mine and only mine.

\------

It's been a week since I caught Luke and a girl at our tree house. I found out that her name was Aleisha and she was on the cheerleading team. She was really nice, but the fact that she saw Luke's drawing before I did made me not like her at all.

I avoided Luke all week and I've spent all my time with Calum and Ashton, but mostly with my boyfriend. I was kind of upset with Luke for bringing her to our secret meeting place. note the word secret, and also for not showing me his drawing but instead showing it to some random person he hasn't even known for a year yet. I've been Luke's bestest friend for nine years, so why is it all of a sudden that someone who he just met becomes more important than I am to him?

I wanted to get back at Luke, so I made up a plan that will surely make him blow steam out of his ears.

I was going to show our tree house to Calum.

I told my boyfriend to come with me to my place after school and he agreed, despite he had plans with Ashton. I feel bad that we're leaving Ashton out on everything, but he'd much rather stay at home and be on his computer all day anyway.

Once Calum and I got to my place, I pulled him by the hand into the woods behind my house and he looked confused.

"Why are we here?" he asked me. "Isn't it dangerous to be out here on our own?"

"Not at all," I told him, a devious grin coming onto my face. "I've been doing this for nine years."

Calum looked amazed when he saw the tree house that was for me and Luke. I went up the ladder, expecting to see Luke, but I was surprised to find it empty. After I entered the place Calum followed and I turned on the light bulb, so we could see better.

"This," I began, looking at Calum and taking a seat on the mattress, "is my and Luke's tree house. It's been our meeting place for nine years."

"Wow, this place is so cool!" he exclaimed, sitting beside me and letting his eyes voyage the place. "How come you never told me or Ashton about this place?"

"Because it was my and Luke's secret."

"Wait, this is your secret tree house?" I nodded and he stood up. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to be here then."

"Don't worry about it." I grabbed his hand and pulled him back down. "Luke brought his friend here, so it wouldn't hurt for me to bring my boyfriend here, would it?" Calum seemed uncertain at first, but then he nodded. I placed my hands on his shoulders and started to lean back, bringing Calum with me until he was hovering above me. He stared into my eyes as his lips slowly separated, his eyes flickering to my lips.

"You haven't hung out with Luke all week," Calum whispered, his face leaning closer to mine. "Did something happen between you two? You two are bestest friends, remember?"

"I just thought I should hang out with my boyfriend more often," I replied, my arms wrapping around his neck and tugging him closer. "Kiss me, Calum."

His eyes widened and then he choked out, "A-Are you sure? Didn't you want your first to be special?"

"If it's with you, then it's automatically special." His lips curved up into a smile and then we both closed our eyes, our lips barely touching.

"What the fuck!" someone yelled and Calum got off of him. I used my elbows to go up and I saw Luke standing at the entrance, glaring at us, but mostly at me. "Why the fuck is Calum here?!"

"Luke, I can explain!" Calum spoke up as he went over to calm the blond down, but Luke's hand wrapped around Calum's throat and he pushed him onto the couch.

"Calum!" I shouted, going over to Calum who was coughing uncontrollably, but then Luke grabbed my shoulders and pinned me down on the bed. "Get off of me!"

"Why the fuck did you bring Calum here?!" he boomed. "Why in fuck's name would you do that?!"

"You're hurting me!" I complained, but his nails only dug deeper into my skin and I could've sworn he was making my shoulders bleed.

"I don't give a fuck if Calum's your boyfriend! You can't bring someone else up here! This is OUR tree house! Not anyone else's! OURS!"

Tears were forming in my eyes at Luke's anger, because he's never yelled at me like this before and it was scaring me. I couldn't seem to form any words as he continued yelling at me some more. Suddenly Luke was pushed off of me and I was being helped up by my boyfriend.

"Speak for yourself, asshole!" Calum shouted at Luke who had fallen to the ground. "Your and Mikey's tree house?! Then why the Hell would you bring someone else up here who isn't Mikey?!" Luke's eyes widened and Calum still went on.

"Fucking right, you dipshit! He saw you! You and some slut here last week! And you have the fucking audacity to yell at him for bringing me up here?! How can you call yourself Mikey's bestest friend if you act nothing like a friend to him?!

You've been avoiding him ever since school started and you get mad at him! Do you know how hurt he was when you hung out with someone else and never once glanced his way?! Of course, you fucking wouldn't, because you were never there for him when he needed you most! You know who stuck by him this entire time?! I did, his boyfriend, and so did Ashton, his best friend!

"Go back to your cooler friends, why don't you?! From this point on we're all cutting ties with you, you piece of shit!" Calum gripped my hand tightly and started pulling me out of the tree house.

This wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want to lose my friendship with Luke. After nine years of us being bestest friends, I didn't want it all to go down the drain. It can't end now! It can't end ever!

"Calum, please!" I begged, trying to pull my hand out of his hold. "Let me talk to him one last time!"

"Yeah, as if I'd let you get any more involved with this ass-" I screeched when Luke shoved Calum up against the wall, his blue eyes growing darker as he glared at Calum.

"You shouldn't be deciding things for Mikey," Luke hissed. "He makes the decisions for himself, not you."

"This is for the best," Calum nonchalantly said back, a smirk forming on his face. "You should just get the fuck out of Mikey's life, because he doesn't need you anymore."

Luke's hand turned into a fist and he pulled back, preparing to punch Calum.

"No!" I shouted, grabbing Luke's arm and keeping him from doing any damage. "Stop, Luke!"

"Get the fuck off of me!" He pushed me and I fell back, my entire body falling right on my wrist and a snapping sound echoing.

And Hell, did that hurt like a bitch.

I stayed where I was on the ground, the pain in my wrist going through me and I let the tears fall as I delicately held my wrist in my other hand. The entire place fell silent except for my sobbing.

"Mikey?" Luke's soft voice said, but I wasn't going to take that.

He hurt me, emotionally and physically. He doesn't deserve my kindness. All those nine years of our friendship, of us being bestest friends, it is now all dead to me.

"Get away from me," I muttered.

"Wh-What?" Luke asked, so I yelled louder.

"I said get the fuck away from me!" I stood up and noticed that Luke was right behind me. I pushed him away with my good hand and stormed of to the entrance of the tree house. "You hurt me, Luke! Our friendship is over! I never want to see you again!"

Calum walked over to me, wrapping his arms around me and I winced at the intense pain in my wrist and he slowly dropped his arms.

"What happened?" Calum whispered to me. "Where are you hurt?"

"M-My wrist," I mumbled as I pressed my face against his shoulder. "It hurts s-so much."

"I'll get you to the hospital right away." We started walking out and I didn't know how I was going to get down the ladder. Calum told me that he'll go down first, so that when I try to go down and I end up slipping, he'll be there to catch me.

"Mikey," I heard Luke say and I could've sworn I heard hurt in his voice. I was about to apologize to him, but I remembered that I wasn't entirely at fault here. "Mikey, please."

"Shut up, Luke," I snapped at him. "Don't call me that."

"Please don't leave me." He sounded like he was crying and it really broke my heart, but I wasn't turning back now. "I'm sorry."

"Well, sorry isn't going to fix this shit. I'm leaving."

He grabbed my arm, the one that didn't have my injured wrist, and I almost turned around to look at him, but I didn't, because then it'd be too painful for me to go. "Don't leave me, Mikey, please. Y-You promised."

My vision blurred from the tears that were starting to fill my eyes. I had to force myself to talk.

"This is the one promise I'm going to have to break." There was silence lingering above us and it was a painful kind of silence to me.

"Hurry up, Mikey!" Calum called from down below and then Luke released my arm, practically throwing it back at me.

"Fine then," he growled, "but if you walk out of here, you are banned from this place forever and whatever friendship we had will no longer exist."

Those words felt like a knife to my heart. I wanted to stay. I wanted him to fight for me, but I didn't want to go through this pain again.

Without another word, I left.

\------

I broke my wrist. I now have to wear a cast for a couple of months, thanks to him. It's a good thing that I didn't fall on my writing hand, or else school would be even more difficult for me. My mom asked me how I broke it and I told her that I fell on it. I didn't lie to her, but I didn't tell her the whole truth either.

At school Luke hung out with his popular friends while I stuck with Calum and Ashton. Luke never once looked my way, but I was always watching him. I lost my bestest friend of nine years, because I was being stupid and I wanted to get revenge by introducing Calum to our secret tree house. In the end I have a broken wrist and my nine year long friendship with Luke is nonexistent.

People who knew about my and Luke's friendship had asked me why I stopped hanging out with him and I just shrug, not wanting to tell them the reason, but Calum would just kick them away from me.

Months after the incident I ended my relationship with Calum, because I didn't want him to be bothered by me. He sadly agreed, but he said that no matter what he was always going to make sure I was fine and that we were still best friends. And before you ask, no, we never shared a real kiss, but he was okay with it. I couldn't ask for better friends than Calum and Ashton.

Except even though they were amazing to me, I wanted Luke back. I miss him so much and I wish I never walked out of that tree house that day. Our friendship is the most important thing to me in the entire universe and I threw all that away when I left Luke, breaking my promise of never leaving him.

The bracelet Luke gave me is now lost somewhere in my house. I took it off after talking to Luke for the last time and I've no idea where it is now. I tried searching for it, but gave up because it didn't matter anymore. If I saw it, it would remind me of the horrible end of my and Luke's friendship. But if I still had it, then it would remind of all the good memories we had together.

God, I miss him so much and I want to get my Lukey back, but he hates me now and I'm too scared to go to him and ask for our friendship back.

Every day after school I'd have to go to either Ashton's place or Calum's and be comforted. My mom never knew about what happened, because she was too preoccupied with work.

Life for me will never be the same again.

\------

It's been three years since I stopped talking to Luke forever. Calum, Ashton, and I were now seniors. Time went by so fast that I almost missed life as it went past me.

I got my eyebrow and ears pierced somewhere during my high school career and had been dyeing my hair multiple colors since my sophomore year, and it's currently red now. Ashton's curly hair grew a bit longer and Calum now had some blond hair in his brown.

Luke definitely changed as well. His hair is now styled into a tall quiff and he even got a lip piercing that suited him rather nicely. He had grown taller than I, but I secretly think it's because of his hair and his long legs.

Never once did he ever look at me, not since three years ago. I ruined our friendship when I didn't want to and I wanted to so badly to fix everything.

Despite the fact that I had fallen away from Luke, I had fallen in love with him. I don't know how it happened, but during the time when I was without him, I realized that I never liked Calum in that kind of way. I only liked the idea of being with someone, but I was never in love with him. Luke on the other hand...

I was hopelessly in love with my ex bestest friend.

I never told Calum that, because he would get mad about it. He still holds a strong grudge against Luke and I didn't tell Ashton either, because he's upset with Luke for hurting me and leaving me.

I don't blame Luke anymore. I wasn't good enough for him. He found others who were better than I and he was bound to leave me eventually. He was never mine to begin with and he will never be mine.

Since I don't talk or hang out with Luke anymore, I don't know what he's ever up to. I don't know if he's still drawing or anything. I don't know anything about him anymore, because he's changed and so have I.

I've grown to hate myself more than anything. I never self harmed once, but I would always break down when I was alone in my room and cry myself to sleep.

I never went back to Luke's tree house. I can't say it's ours anymore. He banned me and I was afraid to be near him anyway.

I'll never know the reason why he brought Aleisha to the tree house or why he showed her the drawing he will never show me. I don't even know if the two were dating. I hoped they weren't, but who was I to keep anyone from being together?

Every day, every single mother fucking day, my heart would shatter into a million pieces at the thought of no longer being able to be with Luke. I want him back so badly.

I miss you, Luke. The emptiness in my heart is slowly eating me alive. I want to come back to you so badly, but I'm scared you'll push me away. I miss you so fucking much.

I love you, Luke.

\------

I walked into the classroom right before the bell rang and I took my seat in the back of the room. I plugged my phone charger into the outlet that was behind my desk and started texting Calum and Ashton. The announcements went on and I usually don't listen to it, but today I forgot my earbuds, so I'll just try my best to tune out the annoying people who try to sound all cheerful but are actually extremely boring.

" _Good morning, everyone! Here are your morning announcements_!" exclaimed this one girl whose voice makes me wish Ursula from Little Mermaid would just come out of nowhere and take her voice away, because it's just so damn annoying and no one should suffer hearing it.

" _Congratulations to our football team for beating our rival school last Tuesday_!" announced a boy. His voice is no better. He sounds like he's got too much mucus up his nose.

The announcements went on and on about how amazing our athletes are and some random school activities.

" _Finally, save the best for last_ ," spoke the girl, " _congratulations to the one and only who got first place in the National Art Competition this year, Luke Robert Hemmings_!"

My finger stopped tapping on the screen and I froze in place, my eyes widened. I set my phone down and kept my ears open for further news.

" _His first place painting will be displayed tonight at seven in the city hall auditorium for all to see! The winner himself will be present to talk about his masterpiece. Admission is free for our school! Hope to see you all there and have a fantastic Friday, everyone_!" Then the intercom went silent and the classroom started becoming lively from the other students' chattering.

I, on the other hand, was unable to say anything. Luke still draws? Not only that, he got first place in a national competition where millions of people joined and he got first? He really does have artistic talent. I want to see what masterpiece he created that got him to first place.

I'm really proud of Luke, but I can never tell him that in person. He'd never want to hear it from me. However, I still want to see his artwork, because despite the fact that we're no longer bestest friends. I will always support him no matter what. That's just how much I care about him and love him.

I'm also hoping that I'll see him there, hearing him talk for the first time. I can't get my cover blown. He can't know I'm there. He'll just hate me even more.

I've decided: I'm going to city hall tonight at seven to see Luke and his masterpiece.

\------

Calum and Ashton had asked me if I wanted to go to the movies with them tonight, but I turned down their offer, because seeing Luke tonight was my first priority to me.

I pretty much dressed myself in all black, so I wouldn't stand out too much in the crowd. I threw a hood over my head and looked at the clock. It was already six forty and it was going to take me about fifteen minutes to get to city hall. I planned on staying in the back of the place, so if Luke were to look out into the crowd he wouldn't find me.

I informed my mom that I was going to go out and she just told me to be safe. It was a pretty small town, so there really wasn't anything for me to worry about. I grabbed my wallet from the counter, so I could show my student ID at the front entrance.

When I got there a lot of people from school were there and pretty much everyone from town was there. Except for my mom and my two best friends. They're out doing their own stuff.

Upon entering the city hall auditorium, the place was already packed with everything and by the front I could see something draped by a white cover.

"Mikey?" I jumped at the sound of my name I turned around, seeing Ashton and Calum.

"Wh-What are you two doing here?" I asked.

"Well, we were on our way to the movies," Ashton explained, "but then we saw you and decided to follow you and it led us here."

"Are you here to see Luke?" Calum asked, his eyebrows furrowing and I gulped.

"M-Maybe," I answered, "but I also want to see what his artwork is."

"Yeah, no. We're not sticking around." Calum grabbed my wrist and started dragging me out of the place to outside. "Remember what that bastard did to you?"

"Cal, please! I have to stay for him!"

"He doesn't give two shits about you, Mikey. Why stay for someone who doesn't like you?"

"Calum, that's going too far," Ashton warned, but Calum ignored him.

"Why do you even care about Luke anyway? He's not going to acknowledge your existence, so you shouldn't acknowledge hi-"

"It's because I love him!" I yelled, pulling my hand out of Calum's hold. He stared at me with shocked eyes and I pressed my forehead against his shoulder, letting hot tears stream down my cheeks. "Please let me stay. I love Luke and-and I just want to be there for him, even if he doesn't want me here or anything. He's still my bestest friend and I love him, even though our friendship is pretty much over and I want to support him no matter what."

Calum was silent, but then he spoke up. "How long have you been feeling this way about him?"

"A year. I've been nothing but a wreck without Luke. I really miss him and I really do love him." I felt someone place a hand on my back and I know it was Ashton, because Calum's arms were around my waist.

"Just let him stay," Ashton said. "We'll be here with him, okay? If anything bad happens, we'll escort him out." I looked up at my two best friends. Calum stared at Ashton and then at me. I gave him the best pleading look I could make and he sighed.

"Fine," he said, "we'll stay, but we're standing in the back where he won't see us." A smile appeared on my face and I hugged Calum tightly.

"Thank you, Cal," I thanked and we waited for everyone to pile into the hall before we finally occupied a space in the back. I made sure my hood was secure on my head and I felt Calum and Ashton pull me closer to them as the lights started to dim.

Everyone started clapping and my heart was racing uncontrollably when Luke stepped onto the platform in the very front. He was wearing black dress pants and a white dress shirt with a black blazer over it. He even had the fancy black shoes to match with his outfit. His hair was still in its quiff and I saw the shine of his lip ring on his lip.

Camera flashes were going off and he looked as if he was being blinded, but he quickly recovered. There was a large screen projector behind Luke that showed his face for those who couldn't see him in the back, which meant someone was recording him from the front.

Luke stepped into the limelight and in front of a microphone, tapping it once before clearing his throat and talking.

"Thank you for coming tonight," Luke spoke into the microphone. "Here behind me I have the winning art piece of the National Art Competition." He gestured to the covered painting that no one could see yet. I haven't even seen it myself, but whatever it was, it must've been amazing if it got first place.

"Before I show you all the real thing," he continued, "I'd like to talk about it. First off, I've been working on this artwork for a very long time. And by long time, I mean three years. It started off as a simple sketch, but the beauty of what I have been drawing encouraged me to enter the art competition.

"The thing about this painting is, it's very special to me. The reason is because I cannot care any more than I do now about this. I've spent years, studying the object of my artwork to get every small detail, to make an exact identical. However, it will never be perfect like the main thing itself, but it is the closest I can get it to."

Luke's smile grew wider and I couldn't help but smile with him. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present you my artwork, My Greatest Crush."

Everyone watched intently as Luke grabbed the end of the white cover and pulled it off, revealing his winning painting. Everyone gasped at the painting and so did my best friends. I had my hands over my mouth, tears filling up my eyes.

His painting was a side picture of a fourteen year old me, just from the shoulder up. I was looking downward and I had such a serious face. It didn't even look like a painting; it looked more like a photograph of me.

"This," Luke spoke, "this is my greatest crush, Michael Gordon Clifford." He placed the white cloth over his shoulder. "He was my bestest friend since I was five years old. He entered my life unexpectedly and has been by my side ever since then. No matter what happened, he stuck by me and I couldn't ask for a better bestest friend.

"Unfortunately, he and I are no longer friends due to a huge mistake I made three years ago and I would do anything to fix that, but despite the fact we are no longer friends he means the whole universe to me. He holds a very special place in my heart and I have no intention on ripping that piece out of me.

"I care about Michael so much and I have for the past twelve years. I never once stopped caring about him. He will never know of how much he means to me, and I wish I could tell him."

Luke chuckled to himself as a tear slipped from his eye and I could feel every word he say touch my heart. "The reason why this piece was given its name, is because I'm crazy in love with him and I have been for a really long time. Twelve years, in fact, from the young age of five to my current age of seventeen and still counting."

I could see him bite his bottom lip as he wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his blazer. He just laughed and shook his head. "He was my first crush and he still is. He will never know it, but I'm in love with him and I bet he isn't even here tonight. I wish he was here."

The entire place fell silent once Luke had finished. I think I could hear Ashton silently crying to the side, probably moved by Luke's words. Even I was feeling the tears in my eyes.

It's because Luke loves me. He's always loved me. For twelve years.

Suddenly everyone stood onto their feet and began applauding and cheering for Luke. The room was so loud I had to cover my ears. Even Ashton was clapping loudly for Luke. Calum just had his arms crossed over his chest and a sour look in his face.

When the cheering and clapping died down I watched as Calum cupped his hands around his mouth.

"How much do you owe me for the bet?!" he shouted. Luke's eyes wandered around the place, his eyebrows furrowing.

"What?" Luke questioned, his eyes still searching around. I glanced at Calum, wondering what he was doing, but then with one hand still by his mouth and one hand pointing at me, he yelled out again.

"Your Mikey is here right now, Luke! Go get him!" From the large screen I saw Luke's eyes fix onto something and then widened.

"Mikey," he breathed into the microphone. Then when I looked at him from the screen, I saw that he was looking in my direction.

He got off the stage and started making his way over to me, the cameraman following his move.

I tried to run off, but Calum and Ashton held me in place, telling me to stay where I was.

"Let me go!" I exclaimed, trying to get out of their grips. I struggled enough and managed to get out of their hold, running out of the place.

"Wait! Mikey!" Luke called out, but I didn't look back. I just kept running and never once giving Luke a glance.

I didn't even understand myself why I was even running away from him in the first place. I just found out our feelings are mutual, so shouldn't I jump into his arms and confess to him as well?

It isn't as easy as it seems.

I'm still scared.

I can't.

I'm sorry, Luke.

\------

My feet took me to the tree house that Luke banned me from. I stood in front of it, taking in the sight. From the outside it didn't look like it changed at all.

This was where Luke and I first met and became friends. It was also where Luke and I last talked and ended our friendship.

It's been three years since I've been here. When Luke and I stopped talking I never once went into the woods, fearing that I would burst out into tears from the memories.

I was already feeling the tears form in my eyes. I've been doing a lot of crying and I'm surprised I even have any tears left in me.

"I knew you'd come here," spoke a voice, causing me to gasp and twist myself around. I saw Luke standing there, his eyes looking straight at me. He was still wearing his fancy outfit, except his blazer was removed.

He began to make his way over to me, his hands pushed into the pockets of his dress pants.

"Luke..." I breathed out, my heart racing just from the sight of him. He pulled a hand out and ran his fingers through his quiff before reaching out to me and placing a gentle hand on my cheek.

"I can see that I still know you well enough to find you." He smiled, showing off his little dimples that I missed seeing so much.

I stuttered, "B-But how did you know I was going to be here? I haven't been here in three years, because you banned me."

"It was either Calum's house, Ashton's, yours, or here. I knew the guys were at the city hall, so that left two choices: your house or the tree house. I happened to come here first." His eyes glanced up at the tree house and then back at me. "Let's go up, yeah? Have some privacy for the two of us."

"But you said that I-"

"Just go, Michael."

"O-Okay..." Luke told me to climb first and I started going up the ladder. Once I went inside I turned on the light bulb and looked around, gaping at the sight before me.

The walls, the ceiling, the table that no longer had our snacks on it, they all had drawings and paintings of someone...

... and that someone was me.

I could feel my face heat up as I looked at the drawings and my heart racing at the thought that the inside of the tree house was pretty much covered in drawings of me.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Luke asked. "Beautiful like you."

"These must've took you forever to make," I said, grazing my fingers over one of the drawings. I had a serious look on and I wasn't looking at the picture.

"I drew all of these by memory." My eyes widened and I looked back at him. He picked a sketch off the table and looked at it, sighing. "Whenever I was with you, I would study your face, see all the expressions you made. I've been looking at your face so much, I was somehow able to remember every small detail about you and I had the ability to manipulate your expressions using my mind.

"The first few times I tried to draw you it took me a week to complete, but as time went on it dwindled to two days, then one day, then six hours, and then two hours.

"I've been drawing you for three years, Mikey, and every day you just keep getting more and more beautiful that my drawings of you could never keep up with your beauty." He set the drawing down and went over to me.

"Remember that drawing I said I'd show you in three years?" Luke asked and I nodded slowly. "It was the My Greatest Crush one. You were sitting there that day and at that angle you looked so picture perfect. I had to sketch you.

"I wanted you to see it when it was finished and perfect, and I was not very skilled in drawing back then, so I guessed it'd take me about three years to finish. It actually took me a month, but we were no longer friends, so I couldn't show you the finished drawing.

"Then I found out about the art competition. I knew what I wanted to use for the competition, so I decided to paint you, the exact same picture, onto a canvas. It was just to show everyone how much you meant to me. I never thought I'd get first place.

"That girl that went up to the tree house that one day, she stumbled upon this place herself and I just let her up. She was a member of the art club, so she gave me some helpful tips about finishing my sketch of you. I only allowed her here once, because it was our tree house, and she agreed to not come back here again."

"I-I thought you brought her here," I started. "I saw you two together and I was- I was jealous. You were showing her the drawing and not to me and I thought you were replacing me."

"Mikey." He cupped my face and pulled himself closer to me. "No one in the entire world can ever replace you."

"Then why did you not hang out with me back in freshman year? Why did you go to some other group?"

"Because you were dating Calum, and it hurt me a lot to see the one person that I love be with someone else. When I saw you and him in here, getting all intimate, I just... snapped.

"I've known you longer than anyone else at school has, so when someone else steps in between us and steals you away, it infuriates me. What made me even more upset was the fact that you belonged to Calum and not me.

"But when he was all over you that day, it was the last straw. I was even more mad that it happened in our special tree house. I took my anger that I've been bottling up for so long out on you guys and I ended up hurting you in the end."

I didn't realize I had my fingers around my once broken wrist until Luke reached out and gently caressed it.

"Did you mean it," I asked, "when you said that you love me?"

Suddenly Luke's eyes widened and he drew himself away, his hand leaving my wrist "Y-Yes, I did. I love you, Mikey, ever since we were five. Back then was small love, but now I'm deeply in love with you.

"I understand if you still don't want to be with me after all this. If you still hate me, then walk out of this and never look back. But first..." He turned himself around. "... please don't let me see you leave again. It'll break my heart, like it did three years ago."

"Lukey..." I ran towards him and threw my arms around his waist. I buried my face into his back and rubbed my teary eyes against his dress shirt. "I'm never leaving you."

"Please, don't make promises you can't keep," he sighed. "You broke one and left me."

"I know I broke my promise before and I'm sorry. You just hurt me so badly and I couldn't deal with the pain any longer." I clung onto his shirt tighter. "I'm so sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry for bringing Calum up here and I'm sorry for being a horrible friend to you. Please, let me back into your life. I want to be with you again, Luke. I miss you so much."

The next thing I knew Luke picked me up and tossed me onto the couch. He climbed on top of me, his arms on either side of my head and his legs in between mine. I looked at him with confused eyes.

"Why are you the one apologizing?" he asked, seeming annoyed. "I started all of this. It was my fault. I let my jealousy get the best of me and tried to push you away when I really wanted to be the closest to you.

"You're not in the fault at all, Mikey. I should be the one apologizing, because I hurt you and I'm the only one to blame. I am so sorry for putting you through so much pain and I'd do anything for your forgiveness."

I stared up at him, biting my lower lip as I came up with an idea.

"Kiss me, Luke," I told him. It was Luke's turn to be surprised.

"K-Kiss you?" he stuttered out, sounding nervous. "R-Really? That's what you want?"

"Very much," I told him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me until our faces were only an inch away. "No more questions. Just kiss me."

A smile came onto his face and he nodded, our nose touching. "With great pleasure."

I closed my eyes and waited for his lips to touch mine and when I felt them. I smiled into the kiss and then I took Luke's face into my hands, our lips moving together as he tilted his head a bit to the side. The only cold thing I felt against my lips was his lip ring.

When we pulled away to catch some breath, my eyes fluttered open and saw Luke's eyes, the ones that I missed so much.

"That was my first kiss, Lukey," I told him, smiling. "It was perfect."

"You mean, you never kissed Calum?" he asked, surprised, and I shook my head.

"Never have I ever kissed anyone. You're my first." Luke was smiling so wide now and he pulled me into a tight embrace, burying his face into my neck.

"I'm so happy right now, Mikey," he whispered. "You don't understand how much being your first means to me."

I giggled at how adorable he was. "You can be my first for when we... do it."

Luke suddenly pulled away with a panicked look.

"W-We can't do it now. I don't have any condoms up here or lube and-"

I cut him off with a kiss, feeling him melt into it as he placed one hand on my waist and the other on my cheek. My hands slid to the back of his neck and then he drew away.

"We're not doing it today, Luke," I told him, smiling. "But I would want to do it with you."

I pulled him down to kiss me again, but he didn't move. I looked into his eyes and he looked as if he was trying to say something.

"C-Can I t-touch you?" Luke gulped, biting his lip ring. He sounded really nervous, like he was afraid to ask me. "N-Not just like this, but I mean, like... a bit more?"

I was sort of wondering how nervous he was, so I slowly placed my hand on the left side of his chest, hearing him inhale deeply and close his eyes.

Beneath my fingertips I could feel that his heart was pounding hard.

"This is what you do to me," Luke mumbled, his eyes looking down at me. "Please, Mikey. I want to touch you." I nodded and moved myself up, my lips meeting his.

"Go ahead," I said once I pulled away, "but you have to kiss me while you do."

Then Luke smiled at me, "That I can do." He pushed me back down until my back met the couch and he had both of his hands intertwining the fingers with mine. He reconnected our lips and the kiss got deeper.

"Twelve years, Mikey," Luke whispered as he moved to my neck, a moan emitting from me. "This will be twelve years worth of touching plus a whole lot more for the three years we were apart."

"Luke," I gasped when he started sucking my neck. I felt one of his hands pull away from mine as it remained on my waist.

He took a brief break to talk again. "Twelve years of having to hold back, to keep myself from kissing or touching you like this. Twelve years of you always on my mind twenty-four seven. Twelve fucking years of you being the best thing that has ever came into my life."

Luke leaned up, his eyes gazing into mine. I was already panting right now just from all of this. I couldn't imagine what I'd be like if he went on.

"Twelve years of me chasing after you, Mikey. And now you belong to me. No one else's, not even Calum's. You're all mine."

"Yes," I breathed out. "I'm all yours." He drew his face close to mine and left a lingering kiss on my lips.

"Twelve years of loving you, Mikey," Luke said, his hand leaving my waist to unzip my jacket, "and counting."

"I..." I started and Luke stopped doing what he was doing before, just to look at me.

"Yeah, Mikey?"

"I l-love you, Lukey." A smile went onto my face and Luke's lips curved upwards, too. He then wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to him and I did the same. He kissed my cheek multiple times, soft chuckling coming from him.

"I love you, too, Mikey."

I have never been so happy in my life, to finally get my Lukey back. I'm never leaving him again. And this time I promise.

\------

"Oh, hello, Luke!" my mom greeted Luke when he both walked into my house some time around ten that evening. He and I spent a good three hours in the tree house together, making out and telling each other 'I love you' and doing some more intimate stuff. Well, Luke was the one doing everything. "Wow, it's been so long. How many years has it been since you've stepped in here?"

"Hey, Mrs. Clifford," Luke greeted. "Three years, I believe."

"You can call me Karen, remember?" He still smiled at her as he nodded. "You still look as handsome as ever. Sometimes I wonder why Michael can't be as good looking as you."

"Hey!" I yelled. She then excused herself, saying she was going to go finish up some test grading. I huffed at her when she turned away and grabbed Luke's hand, leading him to my room.

"For the record, I think you are very good looking," Luke whispered huskily in my ear and I rolled my eyes. Once we got to my room I flicked on the lights and Luke sat himself down on my bed while I took a seat at the opposite side of the room in a chair, pulling my knees up to my chest as I just looked over at him.

Luke's eyes looked around the room. "It's been forever since I've been here. This place hasn't changed once."

"Well, I wasn't here much anyway," I told him and then he looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Where were you?"

"I was mostly with Calum and Ashton." Luke looked down at the ground, biting his lip before he gazed at me again.

"Could you come here for a sec?" I nodded and walked over to him. Once I stood in front of him he threw his arms around my waist and buried his face into my stomach.

"Lukey?" I asked and I could see him shaking a bit. "Are you okay?" He turned his head to the side, sniffling as a choked sob escaped him.

"I'm so sorry, Mikey," he cried. "I didn't want to hurt you. I just wanted you all for myself. You were my bestest friend and my first crush and... and please don't leave me again. I'll be good this time. I won't hurt you anymore."

He hid his face into my jacket again, letting his tears fall and his cries echo the room. I ran my fingers through his blond hair before I leaned forward the best I could to place my arms around him.

"I'm not leaving you again, Lukey," I assured him. "I promise."

"Pr-Promise for sure?" he sniffled.

"Promise for sure."

"Is this real? Like, you're really here?"

"Luke, we kissed in the tree house and you touched every part of me and you're still asking if it was real?"

"I mean, I can't believe you finally here with me again. After three years of being away from you, you came back to me."

I couldn't help but smile, because this reminded me of the time Luke cried, because he thought I wasn't going to come back to the tree house twelve years ago. I remember my exact words that I said to him, too.

"Of course, I came back," I said. "I'll always come back to you. I'm never going to leave you. I promise."

We stayed like that for a good ten minutes, waiting for Luke's sobs to subside. His breathing was shaky and I kept combing my fingers through his hair.

Luke then grabbed my wrist and I watched curiously as he stared at it. He brought it up to his lips, kissing it gently.

"Forgive me, Mikey's wrist," he mumbled and I laughed at his adorableness. "I didn't mean to put you in a cast for months." Suddenly he gasped and took a closer look at my skin.

"What?" I asked him.

"Th-The bracelet I gave you. You're not wearing it." Luke looked up at me with tear stained eyes. "What did you do with it? Did you throw it away?"

"No! I didn't throw it away. I just lost it somewhere in my house. I set it down one day and then it disappeared."

"You didn't bother to look for it?"

"I gave up looking for it. I don't know where to look." Luke wiped his eyes with his sleeve and stood up.

"Well, we're not going to stop until we find that bracelet." He placed his hands on my waist and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before he started searching near my desk. I rolled my eyes, because he was being so cute, determined to find my bracelet. I helped out, but he was more into it than I was.

\------

"We've been looking for an hour," I said to Luke, searching under my bed. "I don't think it'll show up anytime soon."

"Mikey?" Luke asked.

"I've looked under the bed at least five times." I stood up and wiped myself off from the dust my clothes probably collected. "Maybe we should check elsewhere."

"Mikey-"

"I may not know where it is, but I do know it's somewhere in this house-"

"Mikey!"

"What?!" I whipped myself around and he grabbed my wrist, wrapping something around it. When his fingers let go I looked at what he put on me. My eyes widened when I saw the blue bracelet that's now back on my wrist. "You found it?"

"Yeah, I did. About ten minutes ago."

"What the Hell? Why didn't you say anything!"

"You were on your knees, leaning down and looking under the bed. I was just enjoying the view." He raised his eyebrows at me and I slapped his arm. I jumped onto my bed, crossing my legs and admiring the bracelet I haven't seen in three years. "Mikey, look."

I glanced up at Luke as he pulled up his sleeve, revealing his green bracelet.

"You wore it?" I asked, reaching out to his wrist as he sat beside me.

"Every day," he said. "I also went to our secret meeting place every day in hopes that you'd come by, but you never did." He leaned his head against my shoulder. "There was never a day that I didn't go during those three years. There was also never a day that I didn't draw a picture of you. Having a drawing of you was the closest I could get to be with you.

"Sometimes when I miss you too much I go to the blanket that you brought to the tree house and wrap myself in it, taking in your smell. Unfortunately, the scent faded away and it made me sad, because I can't smell you anymore."

I felt a sad feeling from hearing that and it made me want to hug him.

"Lukey," I said, pulling him into my arms. "You have the real me right here."

"I know." He smiled, his arms going around me and he leaned forward so that he fell on top of me on the bed. "Can I stay the night, Mikey?"

"Yeah. Just go ahead and grab something to sleep in."

"No, thanks."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "'No, thanks'?" Luke climbed off of me and I watched as he stood by the bed. He started unbuttoning his dress shirt and then slipping it off of him, revealing his undershirt. "Whoa, what are you doing?!"

"What?" Luke asked, an innocent look on his face. "I sleep naked now. Besides, you expect me to sleep in this kind of outfit?" Then he grabbed the bottom of his undershirt and started pulling it up.

"No, that stays on," I told him, jumping off the bed and taking his hands off of his undershirt.

Luke frowned at me. "It's too hot." His frown was quickly replaced with a mischievous grin. "Do you want to remove my pants for me?"

"What? No! You can do that yourself. You're seventeen now."

"Fine. I'll do it myself, but you have to watch."

"No, I don't. Stop being so dirty, Luke."

"If you do it for me, I'll unban you from the tree house." My eyes went large from hearing that and my heart dropped to my stomach.

"I'm still banned from it?" I mumbled.

"Yeah, you are." I shook my head and started heading for the door, but then Luke's arms went around my waist and pulled me back. "I'm sorry! I was kidding! You were never banned in the first place. I was really mad that you were going to break the promise you made to me twelve years ago. I'm sorry."

"That wasn't cool, you know." Luke started pulling me backwards towards the bed and sat me down.

"Stay there!" he said, a hand out towards me. "Don't get up! Don't even think about moving!" He turned himself around, his hands working with unbuckling his belt. I rolled my eyes and lay myself down on the bed. "I hear moving!"

"Calm down, Luke!" I laughed. "I'm just lying on the bed, that's all." My eyes landed on Luke and then he pulled down his dress pants, leaving him in nothing but his undershirt and boxer shorts. My cheeks went red and I turned to the side. 

"Aw, did someone get hard from seeing me?" Luke asked.

"Since when did you become so cheeky?" I muttered. The lights went out and I felt Luke climb into the bed behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"When I found out that you love me back." He kissed the back of my neck, sending shivers throughout my spine. "Why'd you dye your hair so many times?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, I just wanted to. Why'd you get a lip piercing?"

"I just wanted one. Why'd you get an eyebrow piercing?"

"Because maybe I wanted one, too. Why are you asking me so many questions?"

"Because I want to. Why aren't you stripping to your boxer shorts?"

"Because I don't want to." I twisted around until I was facing him and started shifting around until I pushed my face into his chest. "Why do you love me?"

"Because you're perfect. You're my bestest friend and you light up my world during my dark times. Your very smile could put a smile on anyone's face, especially mine. Your personality is cute and I love it when you're clingy, too. You always stayed by my side no matter what happened and you just knew how to make me happy. I'm extremely glad that you stumbled upon the tree house back when we were five, or else I would have never fallen in love with you."

The entire time my heart was racing really fast and I felt the blush come onto my face. I'm glad that it was dark, because then Luke couldn't see my red face. My heart was pounding so hard I would've been surprised if Luke didn't feel it. He never mentioned anything about it, so he probably didn't plan on mentioning anything about it.

I lifted my face up to kiss under his chin. "That's nice."

Luke scoffed, pretending to be offended. "Nice? I pour out my hear to you and you tell me that it's 'nice'? Uh-uh. You're gonna need to come up with a better adjective." I laughed and cupped his face, making him look at me. I pressed my lips to his and he immediately kissed back.

"That's beautiful," I spoke against his lips.

"You're beautiful," he responded. "and I love you." He pulled away and we were back to embracing each other. "So can you tell me why you love me?"

"Everything about you made me love you." Luke just shrugged, kissing the top of my head.

"Good enough." Then things went silent and I thought that Luke went to sleep. I started let myself go to sleep. "By the way, are you still going to get naked now or what?"

"Jesus, Luke," I groaned. "Good night!"

"Good night, Mikey. I love you."

I smiled. "I love you, too."

\------

Luke and I spent the entire weekend together, catching up on the time we lost with things that happened to us recently. Sometimes we'd take a break from talking, because Luke wanted to draw me. His drawings lasted for about two hours and I watched him draw me out. I was surprised when he got every detail on my face and made a drawing that looked exactly like me.

He also told me that the notebook that I got him for his fourteenth birthday was used for only drawings of me. It was apparently "too special" to have any other drawings that aren't me.

When Monday came around Luke and I went to school together, his arm wrapped around my shoulder while my arm was around his waist. Most of the people who saw us were in awe and I only saw two or three people who were disgusted, but I don't give a shit about what they think.

When he and I got to the cafeteria Ashton and Calum were already there. They gaped at us and I laughed when Luke and I sat at the table.

"Did something happen?" Calum asked. "You both look like you just had a good fuck."

"Maybe we did," Luke said, winking. My face turned red and I smacked Luke's arm as he and Ashton started laughing.

"We didn't do anything like that," I explained. "We're just back to being close again."

"Ouch," Ashton said. taking in a breath of air as if he just got hurt. "Poor Lukey, getting friendzoned by your first love." My eyes went large and I frantically waved my hands up in front of me and at Ashton.

"Wait, that's not what I meant!"

"Actually, I'm glad that you said that, Ash," Luke said, standing up from his spot. I tried to pull him back down, but he shook me off and went to the front of the cafeteria.

"What the Hell is he doing now?" Calum questioned, squinting his eyes at Luke.

The three of us watched in confusion as Luke hopped on top of a table that had a guitar on a stand. How did I not notice that before?

Now all eyes were on Luke as he put the shoulder strap on, so the guitar hung in front of him. He pulled a pick from out of his pocket and placed his fingers into position on the strings.

He nodded his head at me, a wide smile on his face. "This is for you, Mikey." Then he started strumming his guitar and singing a song that I immediately recognized as Best Friend by Jason Chen, except he changed a few of the lyrics, so that it matched our relationship.

While Luke sang his eyes locked with mine and I had my hand over my face from embarrassment as some people glanced between me and Luke.

I peeked from behind my hand and then Calum and Ashton escorted me closer to Luke as he got off the table, making his way over to me. My two best friends pushed me forward until Luke and I were just a foot away from each other.

Once Luke finished singing the entire cafeteria erupted into a roar of cheering and applauding and Luke pushed his guitar behind him, so he could pull me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face into his neck, letting happy tears stream down my face.

"I got you, Mikey," I heard Luke say into my ear, despite how loud the entire room was. Then the entire room went silent and Luke took this opportunity to ask me. "Michael Gordon Clifford, my bestest friend of twelve years, will you do me the honor of becoming my boyfriend?" It was like everyone inhaled deeply and were all waiting for my answer. 

I couldn't say anything aloud, because tears were coming down my eyes and I couldn't stop smiling and laughing quietly. So instead I nodded against him.

"Yes," I whispered, "yes, I'll be your boyfriend."

"He said yes!" I heard Calum and Ashton exclaim and the cheering was louder than before. I pulled away from Luke and he wiped some tears from my eyes before our lips connected and we were both entranced by the kiss.

When we pulled away Luke went back to the table where his guitar stand was and he set it down before going back over to me. His eyes looked behind me and suddenly he pushed me aside.

I nearly stumbled, but Calum and Ashton caught me before I could fall. I glanced over at Luke to see what happened and saw that he had an apple juice carton in his hand and was prepared to chuck it at someone.

I gasped as Luke threw the drink at a group of girls who squealed when the carton exploded and the juice got all over them. Everyone in the cafeteria was laughing at them and some others had shocked looks on their faces.

"Try that again, you vaginas!" he hissed. "I dare you!" Instead of snapping back at Luke the girls ran out of the place. Then Luke looked over my way and his angered look was replaced with a gentle smile. He extended his arms out and walked over to me. "Okay, guys, give me back my boyfriend."

My two best friends stepped away once Luke took my hands into his and then he pulled me towards his chest, his arms encircling me once again. Everyone else had decided to go back to doing what they were doing before, and I was kind of grateful about that, because I didn't like being the center of attention all that much.

"Congratulations!" Ashton exclaimed, wrapping his arms around me and Luke. "You two are finally together after twelve years!"

"Okay, happy pants, step away from the lovebirds," Calum laughed, pulling him away. "Let the two be alone together." Then I heard them walking away, but Luke and I never left the embrace.

"I love you so much, Mikey," Luke said to me.

"I love you, too, Luke," I said back. We looked into each other's eyes and kissed each other one last time before his hand held mine and we went back to the table where Calum and Ashton were at.

I finally got my Luke back and I couldn't be any happier than I am now. We were once bestest friends and strangers, but now we're boyfriends and I was proud of that. Today is the greatest day of my life, right next to the day that I stumbled upon Luke drawing his cartoon penguin in our secret meeting place: our tree house.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: It's over and I'm in tears! I really liked this story, even though it was freaking long for a one shot! I wrote all of this in approximately three days! DAMN! This will also be posted on my Wattpad account, iCheeseYou! (: The video in the author's note in the beginning is the song that Luke sang to Michael, but lyrics are changed, so it matches them.
> 
> Thank you for reading this ridiculously long Muke one shot and have a MUKETASTIC day!


End file.
